Serenade
by saemi-san
Summary: You've got one chance at this. It's not obvious but you're shaking. Your grip on the wooden object hanging around your neck tightens and yet slips a little from the sweat of your palm. How did that song go? You only get one chance. Do not lose your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime? something like that. Alright Then.Let's do it, she says as she breathes in.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 _There was a silent hush around the theatre, as if veiling the people around the stage and its audience._

 _It's that quite sense of the thrill that's built on that hush of anticipation as eyes focus on the dark yet slightly lightened stage._

 _'It's all eyes on stage now.'_

 _The thought passes through her mind as she's situated right smack back center of that elevated T stage with nothing but her hands on a white acoustic guitar hooked to an amp and the microphone stand in front of her. There's a small lapel mic latched on her inner shirt as well to pick up the sound if she decides to move around the longer part of the stage._

 _She closes her eyes and breathes in a large breath to calm her mind and exhales as she moves silently forward towards the mic stand. Her eyes open and are filled with a strong resolves as she slowly opens her mouth._

 **' _STAGE. START.'_**


	2. Start The Bet

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Marimite or its characters.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

" _Bet?"_

Yumi repeated as she gazes for a seconds at the two figures in front of her before blinking her mocha colored eyes as she considered the proposal.

"Yes. You can think of it as more of a bet rather than a favor if you wish. It would make things easier for you, won't it?" Tsutako said as she smiled and held her hand up with her pointing finger pointed up as if to emphasize her point. Her eyes were gleaming underneath her glasses and it was as if the light shining on their surface made them shine more.

"She's got a point though. "

A new voice cuts through the two's conversation and they throw their gaze towards their other companion.

Konoka Shimizu, was also a Lilian student studying in the same year as the other two and were classmates with Tsutako and Yumi during their First Year in High school as well as being in the same class a few times before with either of the two during their middle school years. Being in the same school since Kindergarden, such a case wasn't unheard of. Of course, It was only during late middle school did the three really start to form a friendship.

' _Konoka-chan'_ , as Yumi liked to call her, was a pretty girl with long hair. Her face had that of an innocent Japanese beauty with her pale face, doe like brown eyes, well defined nose, and pink lips. The full on bangs that helped veil her head only helped accentuate that image. But just as any other Lilian student, Konoka's defining trait wasn't her looks.

"I mean, honestly…what was the point of teaching you how to play guitar if you never show off anyway?" came the sound of an exasperated tone from the slightly irritated and pouty face.

You see…the thing is, Konoka had a great singing voice and a knack for musical instruments. It was growing up with great musical talent that led her to be a constant member of one of the music clubs in school and contender in a number of school music performances.

In High school, she was also a founding member of her own band where her bandmates were students of Lillian as well.

She was also Yumi's guitar teacher during Middle school.

Not many knew, aside of course her family and a few friends that included Konoka, Konoka's bandmates, and Tsutako knew about it.

Yumi was actually pretty adept in the guitar.

In fact, she picked it up a lot better than piano, which she had admitted before to her Onee-sama and anyone else that she had once taken a few lessons while she was a child before she ended up quitting.

The interest on the guitar had started back around the first time Konoka and Yumi had started talking. She had managed to stumble upon Konoka playing the guitar one afternoon after school when she was just mesmerized how well the sound of the guitar blended with the songstress' voice. It was during that time that Yumi had felt like she had fallen in love.

Not with Konoka of course, though Yumi admits the other girl had thrown a small tease in that way with the how she gawking at the unintentionally scene performance during that time.

But the sound of the guitar strings being plucked and strummed just took to her and it amazed the brown haired girl just how Konoka had played the instrument quite effortlessly as she sang. It was during that time that Konoka had noticed the other girl's interest in the instrument. She had let Yumi hold the guitar after a little coxing from the reluctance of the girl. The moment she had started and ended her first strum, she was addicted. Afterwards, Konoka had offered to teach Yumi and the ecstatic reply of "Yes" had sealed their friendship ever since.

But what has that got to do with now you ask? Well it basically lead up to this moment.

"Eh?! Stop! Time! Just wait a minute. "came her voice as the slight shrill of panic hit Yumi's statement as she paused a minute to calm herself.

"Ano…Konoka-chan…Tsutako-chan? Let me get this straight. You want me to enter the school talent Show as a bet and a favor?"

" **That's right**." The deadpan reply came in unison from her two friends as if in sync in both mind and body.

It made Yumi sweat more aside from the pressure she was feeling. Sighing and closing her eyes as if trying to will away their expectant stares. Yumi counts to three in her head to relax herself as she opens her eyes once more, only to tilt her head down gaze at the flier situated on top the student table.

"But…" said in an unsure and hesitant tone.

' _She's caving'_ the thought echoed between the two as they exchanged glances in a silent conversation and mutual agreement of being co-conspirators in the manipulation of the young Bouton.

"Yumi, you know you gotta come out of the musical closet sometime you know. Why not now?" Tsutako said in a light yet convincing tone with the seemingly compassionate face to match.

"Ah." It wasn't as if Yumi didn't think about it once in a while, it's just well it never really felt right and she was quite content keeping her music to herself. But Tsutako does have a point, she guesses.

What she didn't see in her silent contemplation was the slight glance the Photographer-Ace had thrown Konoka and the small nod as if to say 'Pass' or 'Your Turn Now'.

"We're not trying to pressure you into it…"

 _(Mental Bubbles/ Tsutako : Liar /Konoka: I am totally lying)_

"But you get where we're coming from right? It's kind of sad that only a handful know of your talent. So why don't you take this chance to challenge yourself? Hence the Bet of you performing and doing this as a favor for me." Konoka added as she definitely laid it on thick on her more gullible friend for her own sake.

Honestly, Yumi's reputation as Rosa Chinesis En Bouton would really help fill in some seats. Sure, the Music Club could do that on their own since they were no slouch in that department but there was something to be said about not underestimating the popularity of the innocent girl as well as to how her fangirls would go crazy to see Yumi on stage.

Also, she wasn't completely lying. She's honestly been waiting to see the other girl perform in front of a crowd since she first started teaching her how to play back in Middle School. Call it a teacher's final test or request. Anyway you say it, Its been a long time coming. I mean, so what if the moment also means a little bit of her getting something out of it? It could even be thought of as a late payment to the previous lessons if you'd like. Besides, Konoka could already tell just how much Tsutako was itching and twitching her fingers just to get a few shots of Yumi on stage with a guitar. The En Bouton had never allowed the photographer a picture whenever she was playing or with her even just holding her guitar.

In short, they were both seething with their own agendas and the desire of their fulfilment…

And fact is:

 **Yumi owed them.**

And whether the girl in question was aware of it or not, they were definitely cashing it in now.

...

"Your right. I guess I won't mind being in the Talent show." Yumi finally said as she said in decided tone.

...

* * *

 **TBC**

 _Please Review :)_

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

* Konoka was actually based on the character from Negima but I had thought it through and it would make things complicated if I used her as herself . Imagine her as an alternative version of Konoka that lived in the Marimite world also with a more mature physical body.*

The concept of this story was basically thought of a long time ago at 2011. It was inspired by an AMV video on youtube about the Sachiko/Yumi pairing with the track "She's so High" by Tal Bachman. Check it out if you will. It's still alive. Honestly, the physical birth of the story wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me actually started brainstorming and started writing another story about my more current OTP with the same feel as "Serenade". I was stuck in my writing when I decided to check out this old OTP of mine which was Sachiko/Yumi in order to kind of refresh myself. Turns out, I thought maybe writing some of the stuff I already thought of here would get me a better idea on how to handle my other upcoming one. I'm a sucker for the artist romantic trope. Mostly because I play a little guitar as well and I'm in an art related course. Also, my high school life had all kinds of events like that. There's also something about developing Yumi's character that interests me. Like adding some more game points or talents to her personality. I mean, it makes more sense to me because she seems more in tune with people and the world than Sachiko. Seriously? it's cute but not knowing how to even eat fastfood? Sachiko's kind of sheltered that there's just some appeal in schooling her in different ways. I mean that, Yumi could probably have more interesting ways and things to teach the older girl. :D

Anyway, the chapter was supposedly going to be longer. I already have more written down as well as an outline but I figure dividing it this way is better with how the events played out.

Follow, Review, or Favorite if you guys are interested. It would help me a lot more with incentive. I'm only taking it a bit easy since I ended up starting this thing last night and just writing till morning. Look forward to what you've got to say. no flames please.

-saemi


	3. Ready

**"You're right. I guess I wouldn't mind being in the Talent show."** Yumi finally said as she said in decided tone.

 **'** _ **Alright!'**_

 **'** _ **Yes!'**_

The two mentally cheered as they shared a quick glance at each over to do a mental high five of their victory.

"You're sure?"

"Yes." Yumi said as she nodded towards Konoka.

"Well, that settles it then. Yumi-chan's going to be in the Talent Show." Tsutako said in order to close the case. ' _Better to make no room for argument just in case the girl suddenly changes her mind'_

"Yes. I accept Konoka-chan's request of joining the show." Yumi said with a small smile.

"Well then! I'll ready the form. We'll be performing under a band name along with the other members of my band as back up. Don't worry though, I got everything covered. I just need your signature tomorrow and we'll schedule rehearsal soon. "Konoka said with quite a chipper tone and broad smile as she already started making mental preparations on how to actually stage the performance so that the unsuspecting Bouton would actually get most of the limelight. Chucking mentally to herself, that was basically the plan anyway. Konoka really never wasn't interested in being the star this time, she's had many performances before and many more to come in the future.

Yes.

This time, Its going to be Yumi's moment.

...

She can't wait.

Please Review :)


	4. She's So High

It was a quite night.

There's a slight gust of wind as the curtains of a certain En Bouton flutters in the wind. The window was slightly open to let the air inside the room. A lone female figure sits silently on the bed holding a guitar with an absent minded look as she focuses her vision towards a particular picture pinned to a cork board on one of the walls. It's a picture of a long blue haired girl fixing a pig tailed girl's uniform. The image serves as a background to her mind, somehow reminding her of something while stuck being preoccupied by something else.

Tomorrow's the day that they were supposed to officially turn in their entry form for the talent show. Konoka was the one who took care of it all and they were supposed to meet with the other members of the band tomorrow before doing so. Yumi hadn't told anyone on the Yamayurikai yet about her entering and they were bound to find out soon after they turned the form to the Music Club who was sponsoring the event.

Boy, she's going to be in trouble. She could already imagine the third degree Yoshino was going to give her. Forgetting her friends for a minute, She hadn't even told her Onee-sama about her entering.

Her Oneesama…

Sachiko.

Huh.

Her thoughts spiral towards something a lot deeper than the details of a favor she promised someone.

She's strumming her guitar to the melody of a song when she's reminded by a previous memory a bit back. It was right before the Hanadera Festival, just right after their failed mission to Kashiwagi's house. It was an interesting conversation that happened between her and Yuuki while they were on the way home. For some reason, they were talking and then the topic had suddenly gotten to asking each other their romantic types. Yuuki had answered that he was actually fond of the gentle and sweet kind of girl. When it came to her turn though, she had realized how coming up with an answer caught her a little off guard at first.

 _"Me?"_

 _Damn. She'd never given any serious thought to how her ideal man should or would be like._

 _But since she'd been the one to start this conversation, and she'd already heard about what her brother had to say, there was no way she could stay silent now. Yumi worked out her type in super-express speed._

 _"Well. Someone who's good looking, smart, and their personality seems twisted at first glance but they've actually got a kind heart, who's fastidious-"_

 _Was where she got to when:_

 _"That's enough, Yumi."_

 _Yuuki stopped her as she was counting these out on her fingers._

 _"You're just describing Sachiko-san."_

Yumi couldn't help but chuckle. It was funny when she thought about it. Yuuki had looked at her like he was exasperated and she could just tell that he thought that she was kind of hopeless in a way. But honestly, it was also funny in a foreshadowing kind of way.

The fact that every trait she had mentioned were that of Sachiko's was totally lost at first to Yumi until Yuuki had pointed it out. She didn't make it intentional.

It was a catalyst though.

After a while of thinking about it, it took Yumi a little more time to figure it out. She had even entertained the idea of looking at Suguru as a romantic interest. One that she wouldn't admit out loud ever. She had her pride, thank you very much.

But the thing is, putting aside some of the more annoying and unsavory traits that didn't add up to it…

Suguru, she imagined… was quite the closest she had towards a "male" version of Sachiko.

Even when she relisted the traits she told Yuuki, he seemed to still fit the description. It also didn't help that Sachiko would probably also resemble Suguru closely in looks if she was born male. There were also other things she had thought of like how she'd react when put into this or that situation. What it meant to look at a man or a woman in "that" way and what was more appealing. It was a headache to think about every other factor she took into consideration. So she'd rather focus on the more significant parts.

What was made clear to her though was the fact that regardless of how close something resembled another, the way they made them feel would always be different. Somehow, she thought of how Suguru had joked during that home visit and implied that since Yuuki had a similar aura to Yumi that perhaps she would be able to marry him instead. It bothered Yumi in a way that she didn't understand then, but now she had a better understanding. But knowing how two things of a similar taste can bring out a different reaction, calmed her.

Sachiko,

was different from anyone…

from everyone really.

It was different with her.

Moments of clarity came as splashes of past events came fiddling to her mind.

The feeling of being captivated during their first meeting.

The inability to look away as the other girl changed out of her night gown that summer break.

The heat that came and filled her body when she rushed out the room.

The drumming heart beat that echoed through her ears.

The way she acted over reacted and was possessive when Touko first came around.

All the times she acted like a lovesick puppy and fawned over the older girl…

It was frustrating how fast all of them came crashing down and hitting her with a big anchor of realization.

She was in love with Sachiko.

'Well…Fuck.'

That was the thought that she was thinking when she had mentally groaned so loud in her mind then. How could she have been so stupid to realize it so late? Somehow after moments of panic while the thought had sunk in, She had realized a number of things as well. Things like the fact that aside from panicking over being in love for the first time in her teenage years…she never cared about the fact that Sachiko was a woman.

Looking at it, Yumi never cared about boys or men in that way.

Hell, she didn't ever look at them ever…and she had many moments she could have.

Sure, she attended an all-girls school all throughout her life but that didn't excuse her from not being interested. Hanadera was just next to Lillian. Her brother was a student there and she knew a few of his friends. Yuuki would also bring a friend or two over their house every now and then. Also it didn't explain the lack of interest in male celebrities or models. She could look at them and say they were good looking in an objective way, but they never interested her. She'd find herself admiring the female models more while reading a magazine rather than the topless male ones. It made things a lot clearer about her preferences.

Heh.

Going back to Sachiko though.

She realized that she was foolishly in love with her and for some reason she was ecstatic about it. Sure she was a fumbling girl pinning over her like a lovesick fool. But hey, if she was going to pine over anyone then she picked the perfect girl to do it to.

Beautiful. Nice. Intelligent. Attractive. Graceful. Classy. Considerate. Talented. Sexy.

Damn.

Is this how guys are like with girls?

She was screwed and…

She couldn't help but like it.

'I'm acting like a helpless teenage boy pinning over a girl he desperately likes.'

Sighing her discontent.

She had just been absentmindedly plucking her emerald colored guitar while she had been thinking.

It was a song that was just constantly popping into her head. She had it on repeat on her Ipod and couldn't help it. It was stuck on her mind. She figured that the best way to get it out is learning it on the guitar. She grabs the capo that was clipped to the top of the headstock of her guitar and clips the capo on the 2nd fret of her guitar. She's strumming the first few chords of the intro before she opens her mouth out to sing the first lines as she closes her eyes and loses herself to the song.

(Marimite AMV [Yumi x Sachiko] She's so high on Youtube)

 **She's blood, flesh and bone**  
 **No tucks or silicone  
She's touch, smell, sight, taste and sound**

 **But somehow I can't believe  
That anything should happen  
I know where I belong  
And nothing's gonna happen  
Yeah, yeah**

 _'Yumi didn't have high hopes for her love. That was the harsh truth. It was surreal to really think that something would come out of her strong feelings for her oneesama.'_

 **'Cause she's so high  
High above me, she's so lovely  
She's so high  
Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite  
She's so high, high above me**

 **First class and fancy free  
She's high society  
She's got the best of everything**

 _'It was crazy just how well aware she was of just how much Sachiko was way out of her league. She was like a pauper pinning over the princess for God's sake! Sachiko Osagawara was the heir of one of the most prominent families in the whole of Japan.'_

 **What could a guy like me  
Ever really offer?  
She's perfect as she can be  
Why should I even bother?**

 _'How could she? is even be able to measure up to such a standard? There was a number potential suitors vying for the other girl's attention. A number them that were better suited and qualified while she was just plain old Yumi. How was she supposed to compete with that? There wasn't a fighting chance. The odds were never in her favor.'_

 **'Cause she's so high  
High above me, she's so lovely  
She's so high  
Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite  
She's so high, high above me**

 **She comes to speak to me  
I freeze immediately  
'Cause what she says sounds so unrenl**

 _'But for some reason, She couldn't help but think that she was still better off than those faceless suitors. She had a strong bond shared with the older girl._

 _Sachiko was her seour. Seours. They were seours._

 _The thought of their first meeting came to mind and other interactions that came after where in the other girl was the first person to make a move._

 _Sachiko…it made her happy just being able to be by the girl's side._

 _I wonder how much longer can I stay content just being by her side before these feelings and my desire for her grows to the extent that I'm no longer content sitting idly by her side?'_

 **But somehow I can't believe  
That anything should happen  
I know where I belong  
And nothing's gonna happen  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah**

 _'Will such a thing even happen knowing how grounded I am when it comes to it?'_

 **'Cause she's so high  
High above me, she's so lovely  
She's so high  
Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite  
She's so high, high above me"**

 _ **'I don't really know.'**_

The last chord echoes in the room as Yumi slowly opens her eyes and gazes towards that certain picture pinned to the cork board.

"I really don't know what I'm doing."

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 **Author's Note:**

And after a long hiatus! I am back! XD I'm sorry. Things were hectic and after getting sick last time, I just lost a lot inspiration in writing the story that I decided to bench it until the story calls out to me again. After that, well...life happened and I grew too busy in trying to catch up on things especially after the new year. The good news is that, I actually had the events outlined so I'm not lost on how the story is going to proceed even after months of not updating it.

For the person who asked where Sachiko is, She's going to be in it soon. Not right away though,I really want to concentrate on Yumi before bringing Sachiko and the other Yamayurikai members into the story. So maybe after another chapter. She was mentioned a lot in this one though so I hope that helps.

Also, if any of you guys are wondering. I drew the new cover art of the story and it's Yumi in her stage attire which would be how she looks in the prologue. :)

Do tell me what you guys think about both the story and new cover art.

Make sure to check out the video included in the story. It's the song and video that inspired this story after all.

Song-She's so High by Tal Bachman


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